Field Notes: My First Visit to Bond 55 Broadway

When it comes to finding that home away from home— or rather that work space away from your kitchen table— we know there’s a little risk involved. While we pack our laptops and chargers, we go through a mental checklist: Where will I find WiFi? What if I need to take a phone call? What does my coffee situation look like? Would I be comfortable there for five hours? What about noise level? No, but, really, coffee?

Once you find that gem that ticks off all the boxes, there’s really no turning back, but sometimes it takes a little Goldilocks searching. To get some of that guesswork out of the way, we bring you our Field Notes series, aka our guide to helping you find your spot that’s not too hot, not too cold, but feels just right.

This week, I checked out Bond 55 Broadway in FiDi and found the space opulent yet comfortable, perfect for coworking with other members or focusing on my own projects. Read on to get the full rundown.

The building is at the corner of Exchange Place and Broadway. Look for an all-glass front with revolving doors and silver hardware. A giant gold 55 is at the top.

Introduce yourself to the security at the front desk, who will show you how to use the elevators to the right. As a head’s up, there are no buttons inside the elevators. You simply press 3 on the keypad between the elevator doors and the screen will point you to the elevator you need to use.

Once you step out of the third floor, a large letter board will point you right. Head towards the glass doors at the end of the hall and look to the right. The Bond 55 space is on the right side through another set of glass doors, and man is it gorgeous.

There’s a large restroom to the left when you exit the Bond 55 doors, but if that’s occupied, grab keys at reception for the other restroom. When you turn out of the glass doors, the restrooms are at the end of the hall to the right.

Decor: Luxurious

Fig 3A: Banquet near the windows. Nearby plug under the seat.

Velvet couches, marble table tops, and tons of personal touches make this space warm and inviting. From the curved, cushioned bench along the windows with cafe tables to the leather seated lounge area, the communal area has plenty of spaces to sit and work. Do you get to pretend you’re at a modern-Fitzgerald-inspired salon? Possibly.

Noise-Level: Semi-Quiet

Fig 4A: Phone booths (glass doors to come) near the front desk.

The Bond 55 space welcomes small meetings between members in the communal space and others took phone calls at the tables, but everyone was respectful and kept the noise very low. There are also phone booths to the left of the from desk, through a glass door.

Personally, I love working in spaces that have a comfortable amount of chatter around me. The communal area has a small amount of chitchat happening every so often but nothing too distracting. There is very light background music by reception. Plus, there’s a personable, easy atmosphere with everyone at the desk and the people who use the space. Feel comfortable to strike up a conversation or just sit and work.

Space: Medium-sized and cozy

Tons of seating, whether you like lounging on couches or sitting a table. There are always plugs nearby— or you can ask the desk for a cord.

Lighting: Natural light and lamps

There are table lamps and over head lighting, but I really like that there's a row of tables near the large windows that let in natural light.

Vibe: Laid back

Fig 6A: (left) front desk; fig 6B (right) entrance to Bond 55

The only bit of finagling I had was the elevator situation when I first entered. After that, the communal space is yours for using.

Workday: Stay All Day or Quick Stop

Either or. There are plenty of places nearby to grab lunch if you want to stay for the work day, and it’s not too structured so you can stop by for a quick bout of work.

Grab coffee and find a seat. If you need anything else, the desk is super helpful and the tenants are friendly. A Croissant member even mentioned that one of the tenants of the space sells cookie dough and shared some with her. When I went, there were two adorable dachshunds behind the desk. Be sure to say "hi!" when you come in.